A Man and A Fish

“This will take another 5 days to get ready”, Sher Muhammad tells
with a beam in his eyes. “And this is going to be a brand new
addition to my fleet”, he affirms with a voice echoing of
resolve. I am present at a boat-making training organized by
WWF-P and DFID for local CBO members in Kot Addu – a town badly
hit by 2010 floods. Sher Muhammad, a practiced fisher, has
arranged wood for a 16-feet wide boat whereas three other members
– the trainees – are investing labor in Sher’s would-be prized
possession. The trainer, a local man skilled at the art of
boat-making, passes quick directions while the trainees continue
with saws, wood cutters and hammers at full play; all to the
surprise of little staring kids.

“Once ready, both the boat and this training will increase the
livelihood opportunities of these local people”, the
Site-Incharge later tells me at lunch. Once skilled in this art
themselves, the trainees at today’s boat-making training are
expected to impart similar trainings at their native villages.
“The program would also hand out energy-efficient stoves, lamps
etc. in the next phase. We would also be extending trainings on
how to repair once such items are out of order”, he happily adds.

Pakistan suffered the worst flood in its history in 2010, a loss
even greater than 2005 earthquake and 2004 tsunami. About
one-third area of Pakistan was hit by the calamity. Small towns
and villages like Kot Addu were the worst affected as the dams
and barrages were breached to save metropolises. Three years on,
the people have built back. The programs still run by donor
agencies in these areas focus on disaster resistance -
skill-enhancement being one of them.

And nothing embodies the quote “give a man a fish and you feed
him for a day; show him how to catch fish, and you feed him for a
lifetime” more. Beyond our love and compassion, disaster-affected
communities need capacity-building initiatives everywhere. Let’s
think about it to care for them more than anything. Let’s get
together to ensure that they are more powerful if waters become
ruthless, God forbid, one more time. Let’s reach out and join
hands lest we forget!